Page 29 - Off Grid East Cost Spring 2017

most part, to reduce our bills, to live a “simpler life”, and to reduce our carbon footprint. In talking to lots of others about moving off-grid, they have the same goals. We need to start thinking about the 85% of clothing that’s ending up in landfills when thinking about reducing our carbon footprint.
There are lots of ways we can keep clothing and textiles out of our landfills. For starters, most municipalities have clothing donation boxes scattered around. This is a great place to start. Have a specific spot in your house for donations. When the bag or box is full, just drop it off the next time you go out. Some thrift stores also have drop locations. As well, social media has made
it extremely easy to give away or sell good used clothing. And it is very easy to find a buy/sell page for your area.
Retailers recycling
Thrift stores
Buying from thrift stores and used clothing stores will also help keep textiles out of landfills. I often find clothing that still has tags on it and our dollar goes a lot further at the thrift stores. I also find good sheets and curtains that are excellent as is or for other projects.
Buy natural fibres
Finally, we need to give more thought to what our clothing is made of. Natural fibres and materials will ultimately be more environmentally friendly than synthetics and, the majority of the time, require less processing. A good pair of well- constructed wool socks will be much less taxing on the environment than a pair of thermal socks that require petroleum products, especially if you can source materials and products locally.
About the author:
Andrea Delahunty is a wife, mother, writer, baker, homesteader and volunteer living in rural Pictou County, Nova Scotia
I am excited to see that some clothing retailers
are offering free recycling of their products. For example, Patagonia has recycled over 95 tons of their clothing since 2005. H&M has gathered more than 32,000 tons of garments of any brand to be recycled, and Nike Grind has been recycling shoes for the past 20 years to make sports courts and playground areas.
I have stopped buying clothes, unless it’s something I actually need (doesn’t fit, worn out, or not fixable anymore). Learning to sew is something I think we all should do, even just to be able to replace a button or fix a hem. Discarding a shirt or pair of pants because of a missing button doesn’t happen in our house. Sewing can also help us turn clothing and textiles into something new. I have friends and family members who make memory blankets and stuffed animals out of old clothes. These items often turn into family heirlooms. I have taken clothes my kids have outgrown and turned them into doll clothes, or taken two shirts that I didn’t really like on their own and turned them into one thing that I really like to wear.
off the grid
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